


Rush Into It

by mousapelli



Category: Free!
Genre: Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-04 20:55:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18820552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mousapelli/pseuds/mousapelli
Summary: Kisumi didn't know they'd be short on time, exactly, it's just that Asahi has always made him want to rush.





	Rush Into It

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 2018 SportsFest, Bonus Round 4 (screencaps).

They walk home together a lot. Kisumi's practice is always out earlier than Asahi's. Asahi's house isn't exactly in the right direction. Kisumi doesn't care.

"Don't you have your own teammates to harass?" Asahi demands somewhere around the middle of summer. They've split off from the others already, and Kisumi will have to split off soon too. These last three blocks that they spend alone are Kisumi's favorite, when Asahi's attention and shouting and insults are all focused directly on him, no distractions.

"They're not as fun as you," Kisumi answers. Asahi splutters and turns red, and Kisumi likes that too, so much. He likes Asahi so much, always has, since the beginning, and he doesn't really understand the sense of urgency about it that he feels. Usually Kisumi enjoys the sweet build-up leading up to things like birthdays and summer break, but when he's with Asahi, Kisumi just wants to run, like when he snatches a breakaway and the whole court is clear in front of him.

"Why do you say stuff like that?" Asahi grumbles, hands stuck in his pocket, kicking a rock. "You're always saying weird stuff.' _Kiss me~_.'"

Kisumi laughs at Asahi's impression of him. "Because I'm so cute." Kisumi stops, tapping his chin like he just remembered something. "Oh right. And because I like you."

"Keh," Asahi grunts. Then a second later, his eyes go wide and his mouth falls open. " _What?!_ "

"Well, I do," Kisumi smiles sweetly, even though his heart is racing like he really is running. "What do you think?"

"I dunno," Asahi mutters, staring at the ground. He doesn't go back to walking, though. After a minute, Kisumi threads his arm through Asahi's elbow and tugs him gently along. Asahi is still against him, but doesn't pull away.

When they get to the corner where they part ways, Kisumi lets go with a cheerful, "See you tomorrow" that he doesn't feel, but before he takes more than two steps, Asahi clears his throat.

"Aren't you gonna say it?" Asahi asks. He's staring to the side, cheeks bright pink. "You know."

"Oh," Kisumi says, surprised. "Kiss me~."

Asahi darts forward, and for one electric second his lips are pressed roughly against Kisumi's. Then he's gone, spinning on his heel and marching away, shoulders hunched.

Kisumi feels lighter than air, hollering a bright, "See you tomorrow!" and laughing when he gets a grunted "WHATEVER!" in return.

It takes years, but these days Kisumi can finally walk Asahi home from practice again, sometimes, when he doesn't have too many clubs. Even when Asahi stays too late with Haru, Kisumi still sits on the bench and does some of his reading in the fading afternoon light, scuffing his sneakers on the pavement. It won't be so pleasant when the weather turns cold, but Kisumi will cross that bridge when he comes to it.

"I keep telling you," Asahi says in mild exasperation, leaning over Kisumi and blocking his light. "You don't have to wait for me! I can just see you at the apartment! You have a key!"

"But I like to," Kisumi answers, shutting his book and tucking it back into his bag. When he stands up, he smiles sweetly as Asahi, just to make him go a little pink and look away. "I like you."

"Yeah, I know, already," Asahi mutters, plucking Kisumi's bag out of his hands and shouldering it. He leans in to press a firm kiss to Kisumi's cheek. "Me too, obviously. No idea why."

"Because I waited for you loyally all that time," Kisumi points out. He tries to take his backpack back, unsuccessfully. "You don't have to do that."

"Shut up, it's strength training," Asahi says, already heading down the sidewalk. Kisumi jogs a step to catch up and they walk in companionable silence until Asahi asks, "How'd you know, way back then? When I think about it, it seems like you were cramming in as much of us as you could into that one year, as if you knew that was all we'd get."

"I didn't know." Kisumi shakes his head. "Not really. You just always made me want to rush. Still do."

Asahi looks embarrassed but happy, refusing to look at Kisumi at all "Whatever."


End file.
